President Obama signed a bill that gives a financial incentive to states to stockpile emergency medications in schools

Great News: President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a bill that gives a financial incentive to states to stockpile emergency medications in schools that could save lives in the cases of allergic reactions. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57612201/food-allergy-epinephrine-bill-reaches-obamas-desk/

New Allergy Website Up and Running

Fantastic new FARP Website up and running; here is an exert from their peanut allergy page, well worth a look. Peanut Allergy Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Peanuts can cause a severe, potentially fatal, allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Therefore it is advised that people with peanut allergy have quick access to an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen®, Auvi-Q® or Twinject®) at all times. To prevent a reaction, strict avoidance of peanut and peanut products is essential. Always read ingredient labels to identify peanut ingredients. Allergy to peanuts appears to be on the rise in children. According to a FARE-funded study, the number of children in the U.S. with peanut allergy more than tripled between 1997 and 2008.1 Studies in the United Kingdom and Canada also showed a high prevalence of peanut allergy in schoolchildren. Peanut allergies tend to be lifelong, although studies indicate that approximately 20 percent of children with peanut allergy do eventually outgrow their allergy. Younger siblings of children allergic to peanuts may be at increased risk for allergy to peanuts. Your doctor can provide guidance about testing for siblings. Peanuts are not the same as tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.), which grow on trees. Peanuts grow underground and are part of a different plant family, the legumes. Other examples of legumes include beans, peas, lentils and soybeans. If you are allergic to peanuts, you do not have a greater chance of being allergic to another legume (including soy) than you would to any other food. Trace amounts of peanut can cause an allergic reaction. Casual contact with peanuts, such as touching peanuts or peanut butter residue, is less likely to trigger a severe reaction. Casual contact becomes a concern if the area that comes into contact with peanuts then comes into contact with the eyes, nose or mouth (for example, a child with peanut allergy gets peanut butter on her fingers, and then rubs her eyes). Based on recent studies, an estimated 25-40 percent of people who have peanut allergy also are allergic to tree nuts.2 In addition, peanuts and tree nuts often come into contact with one another during manufacturing and serving processes. For these reasons, allergists usually tell their patients with peanut allergy to avoid tree nuts as well.

The Portland Hospital Live Allergy Clinic

I had the pleasure of answering live questions over the past weekend on the Portland Hospital Facebook pages, this was in support of their 'blogfest' Topics included nut allergy, kiwi fruit allergy, antibiotic allergy, the allergic march, eczema, hayfever and asthma. Please feel free to have a read through the answers which you may find of interest.

Videos for teenagers with food allergies

Anaphylaxis Canada has a new YouTube channel featuring a collection of five short clips dealing with common social situations faced by teens:

Dating with Food Allergies
Food Allergies and High School
Dining Out with Food Allergies
Eating Safely with Food Allergies
Travelling with Food Allergies

http://www.youtube.com/anaphylaxiscanada

These topics are sensitively and excellently covered in an age-appropriate manner, well worth a visit for the food-allergic teenager.

Two available injectable adrenaline devices e.g. Epipen, should be available for food allergic children

Many children with food allergies carry EpiPens, which are self-injectable doses of epinephrine that can halt a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

A study of emergency room treatment in children with these life-threatening reactions supports recommendations that children carry two EpiPens, not just one. Dr. Susan Rudders of Children’s Hospital Boston led a review of more than 1,200 medical charts over six years from the emergency departments at Children’s and Massachusetts General Hospital. A little over half of the children who were seen for allergic reactions to food were suffering from anaphylaxis, which can include low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and gastrointestinal problems. Among the patients who were given epinephrine either before or during their ER visit, 12 percent received a second dose.

The researchers also found that guidelines for care were not always being followed by emergency rooms. More children were given antihistamines or corticosteroids than the recommended epinephrine. Fewer than half left the hospital with a prescription for an EpiPen and fewer than a quarter were referred to an allergist.

The authors go on to say “The results of our study indicate that food-related anaphylaxis continues to be underrecognized and inadequately treated in the [emergency department] setting"

Source Pediatrics Online March 22/2010